


Almost Just Isn't Good Enough

by alecsbow (IrisMoss)



Series: Almost Just Isn't Good Enough [1]
Category: Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare, Shadowhunter Chronicles - Cassandra Clare
Genre: ALMOST Character Death, Almost smut, Angst, Comfort, F/M, Fluff, Hurt, IS IT UNDERAGE???, Smut, i think so...
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-03
Updated: 2015-07-03
Packaged: 2018-04-07 10:49:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 12,413
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4260468
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IrisMoss/pseuds/alecsbow
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Originally written in 2011.</p><p>A little while after the end of City of Heavenly Fire's events, a few minor...issues...come up in the world of the Shadowhunters. From Clary Fray taking on a new Rune, to Jace Herondale finding out about his long lost relatives, one of them finally making an appearance for the very first time.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Almost Betrayal

The sunlight has just barely broken through the medium-sized window in Jace's neat room. Jace groaned loudly, his back felt like little pin-pricks was stabbing him constantly in his lower back. Memories flooded his head from the last night. The night before, oh God, the night before. He winced at the thought. The demons had him surrounded. Alec, Isabelle, Simon were nowhere near him. Alec, you bastard. You should've had my back, you always did. Jace thought to himself. But he knew he couldn't blame just him. At least he was back in his comfortable bed at the Institute.

Yesterday morning, Jace and Clary had gotten into a fight between her staying out of this battle, or if she would've been useful. Of course, Jace denied it. His love for Clary was...unimaginable. But of course, Jace had to deny it. He always did. Even when they were claimed to be siblings. Just the thoughts of Clary even having an ounce of Jace's blood, even remotely related to him, it made him go crazy. He just did want her to get even a scratch on her gorgeous skin.

In Jace's trance of horrible memories, there was an audible sigh that came from outside his door. He shifted his weight slowly, trying desperately to get off the bed. He winced as the muscles in his back were stung from the movement. Jace could hear the footsteps that were getting quieter as they stalked away. He put his hand on the doorknob and opened the door, trying not to make it creak.

Jace could see beautiful waves of red hair cascading around Clary's shoulders. He sighed as he stared at her. She was the most beautiful thing he had seen on this earth. And she was heading towards Alec's room. Where the hell are you going, little mouse? Just as Clary turned to look back down the hallway, Jace ducked back into his room quickly, making his back wrench in severe pain. What was Clary doing? He smiled to himself as he followed her as soon as she was in Alec's room. I am such a stalker. Jace almost ran to Alec's room.

Clary scanned the hallway with a quick glance behind her back. She thought she saw something dart back behind a wall or room. It didn't matter to her, she needed Alec right now. Clary slowly extended her right hand; she knocked on the door three loud times.

There was a loud thud! And a very lovely dammit! Clary smiled to herself, trying not to let out a giggle. When Alec opened the door to find Clary standing before him, his heart shattered. Magnus was supposed to have been here by now.

"Clary," Alec said in confused. "What's up?" His raised a suspicious eyebrow at her.

"I'm sorry to bother you Alec, but. I need you to do some things." The throbbing pain in her right side was enough to send ripples of stinging sensations throughout her whole body, especially her legs. Clary needed this. She thought she heard a door close down the hallway. At that, she jerked her head towards the sound. Nothing, she turned back to Alec. Who stepped side-ways to invite her to come in. She did.

"Uhm.... Okay, how may I be of your service?" Alec slowly stammered along the lines of training, or runes that needed to be done, something of that matter. When Clary sat on his bed and crossed her legs, he got other ideas. Oh shit. He thought to himself.

"I need you so bad right now. I need you to mark me. It hurts too much, Alec." Clary said, the pain was too much, she was about to fall out. She wasn't playing around either, she was too anxious.

"Mark you? What're talking about?" Alec asked bluntly. He was leaning against his bedroom door as Clary stood up. She slowly walked to him, right in his face. She suddenly changed her mind about everything. About the which rune she wanted.

"I-I need you to mark me for Jace. I want to be his and his alone. Put some kind of rune on me that makes me his." Clary said quietly. Alec's felt his whole body being overwhelmed with sudden relieve. Oh thank the angel. Oh yeah, Jace and Clary were totally meant for each other. Alec thought quietly.

"I'll do it alright, but you could've just gone to Isabelle, she would've done it." Alec looked at Clary with concern.

"I know. But I didn't want her to think anything." Clary shrugged, smiling. Alec slowly walked over to his bedside table, and pulled out the top drawer. He pulled out his Stele and pointed it towards Clary, motioning for her to come over to him. Once she was over at Alec's side, he said for her to sit down on the bed.

Clary plopped down on the softness of the bed, realizing that the pain that was in her side had spread up to her shoulder blades. She winced as Alec slowly pushed down the strap to her tank top. Of course, it had to be on the shoulder blade. That damn demon had gotten her good last night.

As Alec drew the rune on Clary's shoulder, she felt the anxiety creeping up in her chest once again. Of course this special rune had to sting a little bit. But it felt like it had burned her skin. Clary gasped as the heat welled up inside her stomach. She clenched the sheets on Alec's bed and started to pant. Why was it hurting so badly?

"I'm all done," Alec announced to her as the heat slowly faded into a soft prick on her shoulder. "Oh! What was the other thing you needed me to do?" He asked in sudden realization.

"Nothing. Never mind it, Alec. Thanks a lot." She turned towards him and kissed his cheek in thanks. Alec smiled at her and patted her shoulder.

"If you need me for anything else, just ask me." Alec turned to put his Stele back into his draw but Clary was already gone.

Jace felt like the inside of his stomach as going to explode. He had been leaning against the door to Alec's room when Clary was talking to him. He had heard everything up until Clary had said, "I need you so bad right now." Then he pushed off the door and walked quickly back to his room.

Clary, why did you do this to me? Why? Jace was asking himself these questions over and over again. After what happened between them, they kissed in the greenhouse on her birthday for God's sake. It felt like every bit of Jace had come tumbling down around him. His head was throbbing, his back was about to break from the pain he was in.

Alec. Why the hell was it Alec? It had always been Jace. He had been with more girls than Alec has. But Clary was so special to him. She wasn't just another girl that he fooled around with. He wanted, no, needed, to cherish Clary with the utmost respect.

But now, it's all gone to hell. Jace almost screamed like a little girl when there was a knock on his door. Jace almost punched himself for it too. What now? He thought.

Jace swung open the door as Clary was standing in front of him. She was looking down the hallway, but as the door opened, she turned her head and smiled the most beautiful smile that Jace ever seen any smile before. No. You're supposed to be mad at her, Jace. Keep it that way unless otherwise. He was having angry thoughts now.

"Hi, Jace," Was all Clary had said. When Jace didn't say anything but look her straight in the eyes with the saddest look ever. "What's wrong?" She asked him softly.

He might as well be straight up. "What were you doing in Alec's room?" No emotion whatsoever. Just the way he liked it when he was pissed off. Jace saw that when he asked that, Clary's eyes went from joyous, to broken. He almost wanted to scream at her.

"Jace. I..." Clary started but didn't finish. How could she put this easily? When she sighed and looked at the ground, Jace went on.

"I woke up. And I heard footsteps outside my door," Jace leaned against the wooden frame of the doorway with his arms crossed tightly over his chest. "I looked out in the hallway and you were going into Alec's room." Jace's voice was getting deeper. He was getting angrier by the second.

"Jace.... I only went in there to get marked. That demon last night nearly took my arm off." Clary looked back up, straight into Jace's beautiful golden eyes. Oh God. I'm going to melt right here. She thought lustfully in her mind.

When Clary saw that he wasn't buying it. She sighed and pulled down her tank top strap. There was a long, vicious red gash on her shoulder, going all the way down to her lower right side. When Jace looked at it, he almost broke down. He didn't want her in any kind of pain. Or have the slightest thing happen to her. But when he failed to protect her last night, it was almost as if he got the same injury as Clary. They were meant to be together, that was one sign that they were. Your pain is my pain. But only Jace didn't know that Clary didn't get a healing rune.

"Clary..." Jace started, but couldn't finish. A sharp pain shot up his spine, making him drop down to his knees with his head in his hands. Of course! How could he be so stupid?! Alec was better at healing runes than Jace was. Jace was selfish when it comes to Clary.

"Jace?!" Clary urgently dropped to her knees almost at the same time Jace did. "What's wrong? Are you hurt?" She had her hands on Jace's muscular shoulders, trying to make him look up at her. When Jace didn't answer her, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders. He was shaking violently.

"Please, Jace.... I need you. Answer me." Clary whispered in his ear softly, the lightest of all whispers. Only to be heard by Jace. Clary let her fingers run through his blonde hair, trying desperately to calm him down. But when Jace still didn't answer, his arms had slowly circled Clary's waist tightly, pulling her towards him. She was now straddling him. He was leaning against the doorframe with his back to it, with his knees propped up so that Clary could lean against them. They were right there, in plain view of everyone. But everyone was still asleep. Alec just happened to be up at seven in the morning.

Only Clary didn't lean against Jace's knees. She had her arms wrapped tightly around his neck, feeling as if he were about to float away. His arms were around her waist so tight, she could barely breathe, but it didn't matter, as long as they were together.

"Jace, I could never hurt you like that. You know I love you with my heart and soul." Clary whispered in his ear softly, sending shivers through Jace's body. But he didn't feel cold at all, his body was on fire.

Jace pressed his lips softly on the hollow of Clary's neck. She gasped as she felt the soft warmth. Jace smiled greedily. He hoisted Clary up in his arms, with her legs tightly wound around his waist, as her arms around his neck. Both of their fingers where tangled into each other's hair. Jace quickly walked back into his room with Clary clinging to him for dear life. He loved it when she did that, it made him feel like he belonged to her, like he didn't already.

Jace slammed the door shut with a swift kick of his foot. He then had Clary up against a wall with an extreme amount of force. When he did that, Clary yelped out in pain from her shoulder. It hurt so bad, the pain nearly brought her to tears.

"Clary?" Jace looked at her urgently, a pain stricken look on his face. "Did I do something wrong?"

Clary let her feet drop to the ground; she slowly pulled off her tank top. Jace gasped in shock as she did. She looked at the wad of cloth in her hands, it was drenched in blood. Her eyes widened at the sight. She turned around to look at her shoulder when Jace had the most horrifying look on his face. He put in hand to his mouth.

When Clary saw that face, she walked to the full length mirror behind Jace's door. The gash that was on her was bleeding heavily. There was blood trickling down her back and was smeared slightly from when Jace pushed her against the wall. The gash wouldn't stop bleeding. It must've opened back up when Alec but that special rune on her.

"C-Clary...." Jace stuttered as he choke back tears. Clary could see that his eyes were welling up with salty water. Jace slowly reached out to touch her back. As soon as his hand back complete contact with hers. He screamed her name as she fell to the floor

Everything went black.


	2. Almost Disaster

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clary is suffering. And Jace is about to lose his mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Abrupt change at the end.

After Clary passed out, Jace had dropped to his knees right in from of her. Oh God. Oh God. Oh God. He kept repeating in his mind.

“Clary?!” He practically screamed at her, his voice was filled with agonizing tears.

Jace slowly wrapped his right arm under Clary’s shoulders, careful not to touch her vicious injury. He could see that his tears were already coming. Because some of them were already dotting Clary’s gray-blue bra, making it turn a deeper blue. Jace wrapped his left arm under her knees, hauling her up in his arms. He clutched her tightly to him, afraid she might turn to ashes before his very eyes.

“Jesus Christ,” Jace said hoarsely, which was odd. He was calling on another savior? He felt scorching hot fluid run down his cheeks and down his neck. He hadn’t cried like that since he was a little boy. But this was his Clary we’re talking about. His beautiful Clary, that was now unconscious in his arms. 

Funny thing was, Clary could hear every word he was saying. She wanted so much to tell him it was okay, when it wasn’t. Clary could feel her spine tingling painfully with sparks of electricity. 

“Don’t you die on my, Clary,” Jace said in her ear huskily. “Don’t you leave me. I need you.” Clary could feel Jace running, because she was slightly bouncing up and down, rubbing against his chest slightly. 

Sweet Jesus. His abs. Clary thought to herself, she could’ve smiled. Then suddenly, all at once, she felt her spine recoil inside her. That made her scream out in a way that Jace would not forget. Jace snapped his head to look at her. Clary’s face was wet with tears. She had been crying. But she didn’t know it.

Jace kicked down Alec’s door with one swift movement. 

“What the hell?!” Alec yelled at Jace. Then realized the pain in Jace’s eyes, and that he’d been crying. Alec’s eyes slowly trailed down until he saw Clary’s limp body in Jace’s arms. Alec could feel his stomach churn. He also saw the blood that was smeared all over their bodies. And blood was dripping quickly only he tile floor outside Alec’s carpeted room.

“What happened?” Alec asked anxiously. When Jace stepped into Alec’s room, Alec nearly told him not too, blood was getting everywhere. But it was Clary, the love of Jace’s life, the sister of Alec. He had to. 

“I don’t know. All I saw was that she had a long gash down her back. And it was bleeding…. Bad.” Jace said between hiccups and sobs.

“Calm down, Jace. It’ll be alright. We’ll help her.” Alec was trying to make his voice as soothing as possible. As soon as Jace gently laid Clary down on her stomach, she let out an agonizing moan of pain. 

“Jaaace…. H-help me.” Clary spoke the words as Jace broke down into heaving sobs. 

Why does everything happen to Clary? Why not me? I don’t want to see her in this much pain. Jace thought while his chest felt like it was about to explode. Alec slowly withdrew his Stele out from his drawer in a blinding movement. 

“Just in case, Jace. I need you…to hold her down. This might hurt her a lot. It’s going directly into the injury.” Jace was trembling as he moved to Clary’s leg. 

Clary had heard what Alec said.

Her eyes had popped open and let out a ear-piercing scream. “NO!” She screamed over and over. Jace watched her face as new formed tears slide down her already tear-streaked face. He quickly got up on the bed and straddled her waist, sitting slightly on the back of her thighs. He didn’t want to put too much weight on her. 

Isabelle came bursting through the door. “What the hell is-“ She stopped short as she saw what was going on. She ran over to the foot of the bed and pinned down Clary’s legs to the bed. Jace hadn’t even realized that they were twitch violently.

Jace saw the gash was oozing out more blood as she moved. “Clary! Calm down, you’re making it worse!” He heard Alec scream from his side. 

“Just make the damn rune, dumbass!!” Jace raised his voice at Alec. Alec pinned Clary’s shoulders down, causing a splitting pain to shoot up her neck. At that, she just cried even harder.

 Jace watched as Alec slowly and carefully, making sure to not make a mistake, draw the rune directly on Clary’s shoulder blade. Ouch, that’s got to hurt. Another make-your-ears-ring-and-bleed scream was released from Clary’s mouth. Now she was just crying loudly while sniffling. Jesus Christ, make it stop. Jace’s mind screamed. 

Clary suddenly sucked in a breath, then let it out slowly.

“Jace….” She whispered.

“I’m right here.” Jace leaned down, pressing the palms of his hands into the softness of the bed right beside her head. He wasn’t going to even touch her back until she was completely healed.

Jace put his lips right at Clary’s ear. “I’m right here, love. I won’t leave you.” He whispered softly, closing his eyes as he pressed his cheek to hers softly. Clary let out a sigh, trying to hold back more tears.

“I-I’m scared, Jace.” Clary whispered, her eyes closed tightly. 

“I know…. I know.” Jace whispered back, his breath coursing over her skin like satin. He leaned back to look at Alec, who was standing there watching them with a shocked look. 

“What?” Jace asked as his eyes widened.

“I wasn’t expecting her to stop feeling pain that quick. With an injury like that, it would’ve hurt a lot more, and a lot longer.” Alec shrugged. “But she’s half angel. She heals faster. And so do you.” He jabbed a finger at Jace.

“Can I get up now? Jace is killing my ass.” Clary asked in a struggled voice. Jace was so caught up in hold her down, he had let all his weight down on her and shifted up a little bit on her body. 

Jace smiled and blushed, swinging his left leg over and standing beside the bed. Alec noticed something. He sighed and dug around in his drawers beside his bed and pushed a shirt towards Clary. She looked at him confused, and then realized that she didn’t have on a shirt. She quickly jerked it from his hands as she put it on. Jace was watching her, her beautiful body leaning. And only one flaw, the scar that was practically screaming at Jace for attention. Once the scar was covered by Alec’s shirt on Clary, Isabelle announced.

“Since the demon had cut your arm nearly off, along with the left side of your body, the injury will take a while to heal. Even though it looks like a scar now, it’ll cause you some pain if you finger it for too long.” She said to Clary, her blue eyes piercing through her. Then she turned to Jace, casting him an evil look, and then looked back at Clary. “And I mean it.”

Jace sighed as Clary looked at him, giving him a sad look. 

“Now that that’s over, get the hell out of my room. You’ve already got blood on it.” Alec pushed all of them out. He was getting worried that Magnus might not show up. 

Right when everyone was outside except for Alec, Magnus was in their faces.

“Hello, Shadowhunters.” He said in his usual cocky tone. Jace nodded in his direction, Clary briefly said, “Hi.” Isabelle patted his shoulder. 

Magnus knocked on Alec’s door. Alec swung it open, meeting Magnus’s eyes; he jerked him inside his room. 

“Well, that was odd,” Jace said casually. “Let’s go.” He said to Clary at once.

Once Jace and Clary were in his room, Clary collapsed on his bed with a groan. “I’m so tired.” Jace smiled at her. He loved it when she was tired, she gives in too easily. She looked at him and smiled back.

At that, Jace slammed the door, without leaving Clary’s eyes. She saw that devious glint in his eyes. 

Oh hell.

“What’re you doing?” She asked as he stalked towards her on the bed. When Clary had fell on Jace’s bed, the air as she fell caused her shirt to slide up her stomach, revealing her delicate skin to Jace. 

I know she must be in some amount of pain. But I’m losing what little bit of control I have left. Jace thought to his inner self.


	3. Almost Ecstasy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jace and Clary finally have alone time together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SMUT? Smut.

It had begun to rain hard. Darkness filled the room, except for the little bit of a street light that flooded in Jace’s room from outside his window. Oh God, his blankets smelled just like him. Just like Jace, Clary’s Jace. Clary rolled over and buried her face in Jace’s pillows; her back was to him. She was lying on her stomach because of her back. The shirt Clary had on was baggy enough to rise up as she rolled. That showed her lower back to Jace, making him want her even more than before. 

It felt like the whole room was spinning to Clary. Her back felt like it was literally in two. She was lying on Jace’s bed, in his room, with her shirt half-way up. Great. She could hear the rain pelting the roof of the Institute. Then a clap of thunder shook the room, making Clary twitch. She looked at Jace over her shoulder; he was right at the foot of the bed, staring at her. He had that mischievous sparkle in his eye. As Clary stared back at him, his eyes darkened. Her whole body tensed.

“Jace….” Clary said in a strangled voice. Her stomach churned as Jace started to climb on the bed. He slowly started to crawl over her, his knees on either side of Clary’s waist; his hands on either side of her head. That made her head tilt forward a little, all of her hair was to one side. Jace saw that and took the opportunity to press his lips to the back of her neck. Clary closed her eyes and let out a satisfying sigh. She felt him smile against her freckled skin. With that, he pressed his chest into her back, only leaning on the side that wasn’t on her scar. Clary felt him pressed his lower body against her butt, it made her eyes widen a tad.

Jace slowly caressed her neck with his lips as he bit down on her shoulder lightly, teasingly. It made Clary moan softly. 

To hell with it! Clary thought. She didn’t care about her back right now, only Jace.

When Jace felt the tension leave her shoulders, he slowly ran his left hand up Clary’s spine, sending warm shivers throughout her body. He looked at her scar, her wound that made him think she was dying earlier. The scar was pink now, healed enough where he could kiss it.

Jace slowly ran his forefinger and middle finger gently over Clary’s scar hesitantly. As soon as his skin made contact with her discolored skin, she sucked in a hard breath. It felt like Jace had drenched his fingers in massaging oil and stuck it in the most sensitive part on her body. When Clary let it out as a surprising loud, pleasurable moan, Jace almost choked on his own spit. Where the hell did that come from? He asked himself. Jace slowly pressed his whole hand against her scar. At that, Clary let out another loud moan, loud enough to make it echo in the room. After a few minutes or as soon as she settled down, she looked at him with lust and need. Jace almost went weak.

“Jace…. Please,” Clary breathed restlessly. Jace could see in her eyes that she was about to break from him touching her. “Do it again.” She said that in the most seductive way, it would’ve made a nun give in. Jace smiled and did as she wanted. Her whole body shivered in response, she could feel every knot in her body slowly unravel themselves. Only Jace had the power to do that. Clary let out an exhausted loud moan; it was muffled from her biting her lip so hard. Jace nearly lost control, he couldn’t take must more of this. He was about to go berserk, just like Clary.

Jace got an idea. But this was to contain his control in for a little bit longer. She would absolutely love him for doing this. 

At that, he slowly ran his fingers up and down the length of her scar, moving his fingers in a circular motion at the same time. When he did that, Clary practically screamed with so much amount of pleasure. She arched her back upwards, towards Jace, and gasped in pain as his fingers almost plunged into her skin, literally. But the pain had disappeared as soon as it started. Jace saw that, and took his hand away. When Clary felt his fingers disappear from her skin, she felt bare.

“Jace, it’s okay. I’m okay.” Clary struggled out the words, but they came out alright. She looked back at Jace; his face was pained and looking straight at her. He was almost sitting on her butt again. But had propped himself completely on his knees. 

Clary saw the pain in his eyes and nodded to him, telling him it was alright to touch her. Jace slowly placed his hand back on her skin, her soft skin. When he traveled his hand back south, he slowly wrapped his other arm under her stomach, lifting her up gently, courtesy of her back, and turning her over to face him. She stared up at him. Jace stared back at Clary for the longest time, her flaming hair cascading over his pillow, her hands pressing against his chest, and the fact that she was in his room was overwhelming. He was mesmerizing her beautifulness.

When Clary smiled at him, the most beautiful smile he’d ever seen, she wrapped her arms around Jace’s neck and pulled him down to her level. 

She whispered deep in his ear, “I’m not going anywhere. Not without you. I’m here now,” When Clary said that, Jace closed his eyes and pressed his face into her neck with a groan. She continued, “I love you, Jace.” Jace felt like he was about to burst into tears when she said that. It was the first time since the fireworks in Alicante. So it had been a while. Why was he so emotional around her?! It was ridiculous. 

At that, Jace cupped Clary’s face in his hands and kissed her so passionate, it could’ve lit the whole room on fire. Out of desire, Clary wrapped her legs around Jace’s waist tightly. She smiled against his lips as he stifled a moan in her mouth. He trailed soft kisses down her neck as he pressed his hips down hard into hers. That made Clary moan with sudden intensity, it sounded some sort of a cry of agony. Of course when she did, Jace looked at her in shock. His hands, his body, all of him were frozen on top of her. But Clary was just on the brink of losing her control, much less Jace’s.

Oh God, did I hurt her? Jace thought to himself. Before he could even ask her if he did anything wrong, Clary quickly pulled him back down harder against her. She could feel his warmth pressing against her through their clothes, except for that her shirt was still half-way up, Jace knew that too. Jace pressed harder against her lower waist, knowing he was provoking her last bit of control. At that, Clary quickly ripped his shirt off, quickly pushing it off of his shoulders, and chucking it to the corner of the room. She had just exposed his scorching skin to her, along with lean muscle, scars, abs, everything, which meant nothing but trouble for her.

Oh hell, oh hell, oh hell! Jace chanted in his head. He was losing it completely. He pressed his face against the hollow of Clary’s throat, wanting nothing more than to press his lips into her skin…. Well, more than that. His hands mindlessly moved up her stomach and over the cotton of her bra. He heard Clary gasp slightly. Jace smiled at that. He kept moving up, pulling her shirt over her head. Her hair sprayed over the pillow more. 

Jace looked down at Clary’s body, gasping lightly, making it barely audible. “You’re gorgeous.” He whispered. Clary smiled and kissed him shortly, but sweet. He moaned softly and pressed is body harder against her.

Clary saw that he was on edge. With that, she trailed her hands down his chest and over his stomach. Jace’s eyes rolled back into his head as she reached his pants. She was undoing his pants button.

“Clary, wait,” There was a hint of urgency in Jace’s voice as he stopped her. “Are you sure you want to do this?” When Clary looked up at Jace, she knew that he didn’t want her to say no. As a matter of fact, she wanted nothing more than to do this. She didn’t care about breathing, didn’t care about eating, and didn’t care about nothing except for Jace.

“I’m positive.” Clary said sternly, smiling. As Jace smiled back, she slowly started undoing his pants button again, she pushed down his zipper with on finger. Jace pressed his face into the nape of her neck and let himself moan into her skin. 

“Oh hell,” Jace half moaned and half growled, a little louder. He started losing the last ounce of his being. They were both panting slightly from excitement and nervousness. Jace started pressing his hips towards Clary. She took that as a signal to keep moving. She trailed her fingers over the sides of his pants and pushed down, dragging his boxers by her thumb as she pushed them down. 

Jace lost all of his control. It felt like fire was pulsating through his veins. He needed her, wanted her, all to himself.

“Clary….” Jace whispered. His whole body felt like it was fixing to burst. He gripped Clary’s hips and hooked his thumbs into the fabric of her shorts. She took that as a sign to unwrap her legs from him. As she did, he quickly pulled them down along with her panties, and threw them over his shoulders along with their other clothes. She was left in only that light blue bra. She circled his hips against with her legs, her thighs pressing on either side of him. Jace pressed down against her, their hips meeting gently. At that, Jace bent his head down and pressed his lips to Clary’s. He pressed his tongue against her lips, demanding entrance. When she let him in, he took over her mouth completely. 

“Clary…. Clary, do you trust me?” Jace whispered into her mouth, hoping to God she’ll say yes.

After a short, agonizingly painful pause for Jace, Clary whispered, “With my life, always and forever.”

Right when she said that, Jace let himself push harder against her with a growl, making them become one. Clary knew the pain was burning up inside her, of course she could feel it. But she ignored it and proceeded with a soft moan.

~

After what seemed like the most blissful forever, Clary and Jace lay breathless, limp and panting on his bed. Jace, on top of Clary with his eyes closed and his head resting on her chest as was replaying everything they just did in his mind. Clary, lying under Jace with satisfaction, her arms coiled around Jace’s shoulders, her face buried in his hair as she breathed in his scent. 

Jace let his fingertips trail over Clary’s stomach slowly, with feather-like touches. She smiled as she whispered in his hair, “I love you, Jace.” He responded with a soft peck on her chest.

“Mmn, I love you too,” Jace moaned softly. “I’m yours and you’re mine.” He whispered. So unlike him, but so sweet and heartwarming at the same time. Clary’s heart melted in her chest.

“Sounds about right to me.” She tilted his head up and planted one chaste kiss on his lips. 

A huge rumble of thunder filled the room and interrupted their intimate kiss. Then a loud, “JACE! CLARY!" It sounded like Alec.

Damn it. What now?


	4. Almost Coincidence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Something's happened to Isabelle. There's an unexpected surprise in store for Jace.

Alec busted down the door to Jace’s room, without noticing Clary. His face looked red and sweaty. Almost as if he was running a track. He was breathing heavy also, his chest rapidly heaving up and down. Jace instantly covered his and Clary’s bodies up with the sheets on the mangled bed.

“WHAT THE HELL, ALEC?!” Jace screamed at him as if he was about to murder him right there in front of God and everybody. 

“I-It’s Isabelle. She went to see Simon, a-and he just called saying was out…and he smelled…he smelled…,” Alec could finish the sentence, but the hurt and pain was written all over his face. He fell to his knees and started heavily sobbing. Jace and Clary was staring at him in bewilderment, and then it hit them both like a ton of bricks. They both shot up out of bed and scrambled around the room to put on their clothes without Alec noticing their naked selves. 

“W-we… Have to go to...h-her,” Alec said between sobs. He sounded so hopelessly useless. It was sad, Clary was about to burst into tears from seeing him this way. Jace just felt like he was about to go into something he did not want to be involved in. But if it was for his sister, then he’d do it. Then again, he felt sadness creeping up into his chest.  

Once Clary had her clothes on and her shoes, she dropped down next to Alec. 

“It’ll be alright, Alec. We’ll go to her, we’ll save her.” She put her arms around his shoulders and squeezed him. He wasn’t use to it, but he collapsed into her and started violently sobbing and heaving out breathes. Clary soothed his hair back and chanted comforting things to him while he clutched her for dear life.

“We’re wasting time. Let’s get moving.” Jace said sternly, once he had on his shoes. He hadn’t noticed Clary and Alec, but when he looked down to his brother and lover, his heart dropped. Clary looked up to him and gave him a look that said, “This is your brother! Comfort him, or I’ll kill you.”

Jace dropped down to his knees in front of Alec; he only glanced at the blonde. 

“Alec, buddy,” Jace said softly, putting almost every ounce of kindness he had into that one greeting. “We need to get moving so we can save Izzy.” He whispered the last statement, slowly putting his hand on Alec’s shoulder. Clary could almost melt at the sound of Jace’s voice, but this wasn’t about her, or Jace. It was about helping Alec and saving Isabelle. 

When Alec was done crying, he stood up with Clary and Jace. He nodded saying that he was ready for anything that was ahead. Clary smiled and Jace arrogantly chuckled. 

Clary grabbed her Stele, and Jace snatched up the witchlight that was lying on his bed stand.  Of course he was already wearing his Stele in his belt, that’s just how determined he was. He was ready for anything, just like his brother. 

They broke out into a run down the hallway of the Institute, racing past doorways and Church, their cat. They all stopped at the elevator and Jace repeatedly pushed the button on the wall for it to come up. Once the elevator came to a screeching halt, the door opened and the three Shadowhunters piled into it. 

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Where the hell are we going?!” Alec said franticly, darting his head around wildly. 

“Alec! Calm down!” Jace yelled at his step-brother, unsuccessfully cheering him up. Clary flinched at the sound of Jace’s booming voice. They were in the busy streets of New York, trying to dodge the cars and taxis of their speeding vehicles and their honking horns. Jace, on the other hand, got nicked in the leg by a frantic Indonesian taxi cab driver. He rolled down his window and started ranting at Jace in his foreign tongue.

“THAT HURT, YOU SON OF A MOTHER F-“ Jace started, as he clutched his knee. 

“Jace! Come on!” Clary cut off his beautiful comment, grabbing onto his sleeve and pulling him along with her and Alec. Of course, it started to rain. So the Shadowhunters started to hurry themselves, as if they weren’t in a hurry already.

“Simon said that he found her in the Alley in the back of Pandemonium.” Alec said between breathes from running so fast. Clary glanced sideways at him. He looked so determined with his black hair slicked back from the wind tangling through his locks as if they were running from the devil himself.

“My Sensor is picking up strong demon ratings,” Jace said, panting as he was looking at the black oblong object in his hand. It was making a high pitched noise. That was abnormal. “So she must’ve been mauled by demons, or some creepy-ass vampire must’ve gotten ahold of her.” Clary cut him a look that made him regret saying anything. They both looked at Alec, just in time to see him twitch at Jace’s comment.

They were now in from the Pandemonium Club and the music was loud and thumping. Clary could feel the base of the music in her chest and it pounded. It sounded like some techno band playing, mixed in with some screamo. As if sensing her oblivion, something grabbed ahold of Clary’s forearm. She whipped around, a blood-boiling scream building up in her throat. As soon as she caught sight of who had grabbed her, she sighed in relief. Simon stood silently, in the alley between the club and another building. Motionless in front of them, his hair was damp against his forehead. He looked white, not pale like he should’ve been, but white. He blinked a couple of times, and Clary could’ve sworn he was blinking away tears.

“Jesus Christ, vampire. You gave us a heart attack. I guess you made my Sensor do that a moment ago.” Jace said breathlessly, as if he was trying to calm down. 

“Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you guys. I can’t make much sound, you know.”  Simon chuckled weakly, Clary could sense the sadness in him. She knows him that well. Jace and Alec exchanged glances at one another. Simon was already turning away, not signaling the three Shadowhunters to follow. But they were on his heels in a heartbeat. 

“Where’s my sister?” Alec asked Simon franticly. Simon turned his head a fraction of an inch towards the black-headed boy. 

“She’s just around the corner,” His voice was flat, but Simon kept his quick pace going. “She’s not in the best shape, Alec.” Depression filled his tone. Black bags filled with trash was so heavy in the air that it almost too their breaths. But the smell of blood still hung in the late night, and it scared the hell out of them. 

Alec felt like he had just been ripped apart. His baby sister had been hurt and he wasn’t there to protect her. Once they rounded the corner, the breath went right out of Alec’s lungs. Isabelle, lay flat on her back, was covered in blood and soaking wet. Her black hair was matted with redness and was plastered to her neck. There were vicious scratches, deep scratches, on her thighs, stomach and arms. And what shattered his hope that she’d still be alive, is that her throat was ripped out. Blood was seeping throat the wounds and making a small to medium sized puddle next to her, at their feet. She was barely breathing, her throat moving as if trying to talk or suck in air. Blood must be filling her lungs. Her eyes were open and staring straight up towards the sky, they were lifeless. The rain looking as if the stars were falling down on her. 

“Oh my god.” Jace breathed, hurrying over to his sister’s side in an instant. His hands hovered of her body, not knowing what to do. His head jerked towards Simon. “Is she dying?” 

Simon merely shrugged, trying to control himself of the blood. But the answer was clear in his eyes, Jace saw it. She was going to die and they wouldn’t know what caused her death. Jace didn’t notice until now that Alec and Clary were crouched down around the corner where they came from.  He could see tears stream down Alec’s cheeks, at that, Clary put her arms around him. She kissed the top of his head and, in response, he laid his head on her chest and heaved into her neck. 

“There’s got to be something we can do to save her.” Jace muttered to himself as he tried the healing runes on Isabelle. Nothing worked. 

Isabelle’s breathing ceased. That made Jace place two fingers on her neck where blood should be pumping from her heart. Her pulse wasn’t going. 

She had just died.

“Damn it!” He yelled and started doing CPR on her. Clary watched him from the a few feet away; her head was craned to one side as if looking behind her at them. Clary felt sorry for Jace, he was the only one helping Isabelle. But Alec was clinging to her like a helpless child, she couldn’t leave him. Simon was trying even harder to control himself from her spilled blood.  Alec, he only heaved harder into her neck as he saw Jace do CPR. He knew he should help him, but his sadness and grief kept him bound down. He couldn’t move. 

“I can help her,” said a voice behind all of them. The voice sounded angelic itself. They all turned around to see a teenage girl, about eighteen. She was so beautiful. She was close enough to tell that she had blue eyes, tinted with green. Golden blond hair that shined in the street lights of New York. It fell just below her shoulders in slick waves. She looked like she stood to the five foot, eight inch mark. It looked like she’d been drinking too much Kool-Aid. Her lips were stained with a deep pink color. Her eye lashes were long enough to cast shadows over her high cheek bones. Her straight jawline was covered in a rune that was foreign to the others before her. But she was clearly a Shadowhunter. For one she could see them. Two, she had other runs inked on her pale, flawless skin. And she looked like she owned the world, hands on her hips and all. 

“Who…Who are you?” Jace looked as if he was a dying man in a desert, searching for water or food. That made Clary want to slap the taste out of this chick’s mouth.

“Tristan. Tristan Lockfeather,” she said. “And if you want to have Isabelle back. You should get the hell out of my way and let me do my job.” The venom in her voice could take down a cobra. The hands that were one her hips were now crossed over her chest.

“How do you know my sister’s name?” Jace spat back, with more venom than Tristan used. There was a new edge in his voice that no one had ever witnessed. He looked like he was ready to take down a pack of wolves and be damn well proud of it. Clary saw the fire in his eyes. Blazing and raging. Jace stood up and stood his ground while he glared at Tristan. Clary took his hand in her, lacing her fingers through his. He returned the pressure.

“I know a lot of things, Shadowhunter. Now if you want Isabelle back…. Move.” Tristan’s voice turned hostile. Jace contemplated this. He didn’t want to lend over Isabelle to a stranger…but he wanted her back. And he was sure that everybody else did too. Especially poor Alec. 

Taking a deep breath, Jace stepped aside and let Tristan through.


	5. Almost Dead

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tristan helps Isabelle, but leaves Jace in a state of shock.

The faintest speck of sunlight cast over the floor in one Institute's rooms, changing the white shades to sort of golden yellow colors. Clary traced her freckled fingers over the window-sill where the sun shone. Millions of things were racing through her mind right at that moment, it seemed as though those thoughts were causing her head to pound with each thump of her heart. And it was racing.

Isabelle lay in the bed that was nearest to the side of the room without a window. Her black hair was damp with sweat and rain. Her eyes were closed, showing off her bruised colored eyelids. Dark circles were inked under her eyes as well. That gave off the dead look in her face. Alec sit on the bed beside her, running his fingers over her pale knuckles as he held her hand. His cheeks were tear-streaked and his blue eyes red-rimmed. His black hair mussed and damp from the rain. Jace standing next to them with his hand clasped behind his back. His eyes were blank as could be. His golden-yellow eyes were just staring into space. It was the same face he had on when Max, Alec and Isabelle's little brother, was murdered. His golden blond head was tilted up slightly, as if praying directly to God. Both Alec and Jace were black short-sleeved shirts and dark blue denim jeans. Only Alec was wearing a white long-sleeved shirt under his black one. Clary was sitting in a spare chair across the room. Her red hair pulled tight into a ponytail, as she played with loose strands anxiously as she looked to the three across from her. Simon didn't come back with them to the Institute, he had to go feed. All the blood from Isabelle had caused him to lose it after a little while.

Tristan, the newest and unlabeled addition to the group, came through the door. Her pale blond hair bounced around her shoulders in those gorgeous curls that Clary now envied. Her tallish frame stooped at the end of Isabelle's bed, where both Alec and Jace turned their heads sharply to glare at her.

"What," Jace began harshly. "in the name of the Angel, do you want?" His eyes had gone dark with anger. The only emotion in them Clary had seen since they had gotten here.

"I said I was going to help. If you don't want it, I can easily leave, Shadowhunter." Tristan's voice returned the rage towards Jace. It still sounded like angels falling from Heaven. Her blue-green eyes narrowed and her head cocked to the right, as if daring him to send her away.

At that, Jace narrowed his eyes as well. His first female competition that didn't want to sleep with him. But fight and argue. After a few long seconds, He stepped away from the bed. Alec got up as well, without arguing. He was all for this. "Anything to get Isabelle back," he had said on the way to the Institute.

Without breaking her vicious stare from Jace, Tristan slowly made her away to the head of the bed, where Isabelle's broken and dead body lay limp. It felt like Clary's heart shattered and she was walking on the glass pieces. She rose and strode over to stand next to Jace. She put her arm around his waist and squeezed, he put his arm around her shoulders and returned the pressure. Of everything that has happened in this one night, Clary truly thought Jace was the only thing keeping her anchored to reality. If he weren't here, she would've been bawling and snotting all over the place. But with his arms around her, she stayed calm. She didn't know how it was for him, probably not the same considering this was his sister.

Tristan sat on the side of Isabelle's bed gently, as if not to disturb the dead. She slowly outstretched her hands toward her face, and Alec hissed is disagreement. Her hands froze in mid-hair, Tristan twisted her head slowly to stare at him, her eyes burning with irritation.

Alec coughed, "Continue."

With a loud sigh, Tristan continued her hands forwards until they both rested on either side of Isabelle's head. She held her face firmly between her palms. The skin tone between the two wasn't much different. But Tristan's skin was two shades darker than Isabelle's, giving a soft tan, but still showed off how pale she was. Tristan's head drooped a little, but enough to be noticed. Jace tensed at the action but still kept his stance.

Tristan began muttering unknown words under her breath, they were loud enough to where all three of the Shadowhunters could hear. Her accent sounded like it altered back and forth between German and Romanian, even a hint of Russian.

After a full minutes worth of muttering comprehensible words, Tristan's hands began to vibrate, not shake, vibrate. It sounded like a tiny bee was buzzing in your ear. Alec tensed, as well as Jace, if that were even possible. Clary remained calm and stiff. As the vibrating continued, Tristan's face scrunched up as if it caused her physical pain. Her eyebrows drew together and a single drop of blood ran down out from her nose and beaded above her upper lip. Clary gasped as she saw it.

Suddenly, Tristan's hands burst with such a bright light, all three Shadowhunters jumped back and ended up with their backs against a wall. Tristan's hands vibrated even louder in their ears as blood ran from both of her nostrils. Right then, she let out a bellow so loud, Clary and the other two Shadowhunters put their hands over their ears. Tears ran down Tristan's cheeks, but she kept going. The amount of power, the amount of strength in Tristan, amazed Clary to no end. She would have never been able to withstand that if she were in her shoes.

Out of nowhere, there was a loud thump. It sounded through the entire room, if not the entire building. After several seconds, another loud thump sounded. It kept the same pattern. And soon after, Clary realized it was a heartbeat. She looked towards Tristan, who changed her position on the bed and was now sitting off the edge, with her elbows on her knees and head in her hands. Blood was dripping down from her nose and onto the floor. She made no move to catch it.

Clary also saw that Isabelle's chest was slowly rising and falling.

The thumps were Isabelle's heartbeat. Isabelle was brought back from the dead. She was alive.

Alec saw it too and ran over to his sister's side, taking her hand in his. He choked as he realized her hand was warm with life like it had always been. Tristan dumped herself out onto the floor and scooted to where she could put her back against the wall. Clary ran around the end of the bed to the other side of it. She placed her hand on Isabelle's shoulder, feeling the warmth radiate from her skin and outside of her clothes. Jace stood beside her, she hadn't even realized he moved with her.

Out of all the things that had happened in Clary's life, she never thought she would be so happy to see the tiniest movement from someone. It was Isabelle's eyelids fluttering open.

After a few agonizing minutes, Isabelle's strength returned to her, and she tried to sit up, only to have her brother grab her the shoulders, and push her gently back down.

"Not yet," Alec said. "Wait. Please." His voice teetered on the edge of happiness and breaking down into tears.

"What, Alec? I can sit up on my own, thanks." Isabelle snidely remarked. Yep, she was back to her old self again. She then shook her head and pressed the heel of her hand into her left temple. "What the hell happened? I have the mother of all headaches."

"You... You..." Alec began, but he clearly couldn't finish. Jace flinched at the sadness in his brother's voice.

"You were murdered, Isabelle. And I brought you back to life." Tristan's voice sounded from right next to the bed. She apparently gained her strength back was now standing next to Alec. He flinched at her bluntness. Tristan's nose had stopped bleeding and she had stopped crying, but there were stains on her upper lip and cheeks. Her beautiful face looked like Hell.

Isabelle's wide eyes and gaping mouth made Tristan smile. Clary saw that Tristan looked a lot like Jace when she smiled. Her teeth were aligned exactly like his. Her laugh lines looked surprisingly similar to his. And Clary couldn't help but stare. Tristan started laughing then, a sort of shallow cackle that made Jace cringe once again. The rage vibrated throughout his entire body. Clary could feel the heat coming off him. Attempting to calm him, she wrapped her arm around his waist and twisted her fingers through one of the belt loops on his jeans. He seems to have relaxed a fraction, but his body was still tense as a rock.

"A lot to take in, eh?" Tristan's voice was directed toward Isabelle. "I'll tell you the whole story," Tristan sat down on the bed, everybody in the room stiffened. "Once upon a time," She started. "There was a naughty little Shadowhunter, who slipped away from her group. She was on her way to see her boyfriend, who was, indeed, a vampire. What she didn't know, was that someone bad was following her. Who was, indeed again, another vampire. But what the bad vampire didn't know, was that someone bad to him, see what I did there? Bad to him, was following the bloodsucker."

Tristan paused to see if anyone was keeping up. All four Shadowhunters were staring at her as if she had told them she was an old warlock that was about to show them her special wand. And she was loving it. After several minutes of staring, it was Isabelle who spoke first.

"I don't understand a word you're saying, unknown person whom I don't know."

Clary smiled as Tristan sighed, she looked even more like Jace. "Let me put it this way. I was following a vampire who was following you. See, I was sent to kill that very vampire." Alec's intake of breath made Tristan smile wide. "I was spying on the coven that the vampire was apart of. Indeed, word got around that he was after someone named Simon Lewis. I heard he was a Daylighter. That would've been very helpful to the coven of bad vampires. In what way, I don't know. And I frankly don't want to find out. I also heard that his girlfriend had plans on meeting up with him last night. So that's when the bad vampire took the opportunity to strike." She paused again to let that settle in the tense atmosphere, like it helped.

She continued. "I was watching the fight break out between the little feisty Daylighter and the bad vampire. Let me tell you, Simon can throw a hard hit. I swooped in as the hero of the night and he socked me one good kidney jab. He thought I was the vampire who was planning on taking him back to his coven."

"And were you there when Isabelle was killed?" Jace spoke up finally. Rage rocked through every sound wave in his voice. Isabelle's head whipped toward him as if she had her the most ridiculous thing in the universe. Which she did for that matter.

"No. I was calling in to my boss back in London. I said to him I couldn't get near the bad vampire without killing the Daylighter instead. I was about a good safe two and a half miles away when my radically heightened senses picked up the absolutely repugnant stench of blood. So I assumed it was Isabelle's way of saving Simon. I don't know. But I hurried my ass back up to the crime scene, but I guess I was too late." She motioned to the Shadowhunters before her.

The four of them stared at her in bewilderment. She raised an eyebrow as if testing them to object to her actions.

"Okay. Just what are you then?" Clary's soft-spoken voice echoed in the room.

Tristan's blue-green eyes set aflame just then. Her eyes always held a mystery. It made you wonder what her next move is going to be. And out of everything Clary had been through, what Tristan said was utterly unexpected.

"I'm an Alchemist. I have a specialty. I raise the dead."


	6. Almost The End

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tristan and Jace connect. Finally something good happens.

"Come again?" Jace's sounded utterly confused. Tristan couldn't be an Alchemist, there was no such thing. It just doesn't exist in their world. It just couldn't. 

As if Tristan could read his mind, "I can tell by the look on your face, that you don't believe me, Blond One." She cackled and said, "Out of all the creatures in this world and others, you think  _Alchemists_  do not exist?" Jace's shake of his head must've answered her question. "I see. Well. I see what good this place does for your education then." She raised a taunting eyebrow. Jace's eye's narrowed as Alec scoffed.

Silence rang throughout the room. Tristan looked around at everyone, and saw they were all staring at her for an explanation. 

"Okay, okay, I'll tell you this much. The reason why you probably haven't heard about us is because, we Alchemists lay low for a reason. Our Magic is much,  _much_  more greater than any Warlock or Witch that walks, or walked, the face of this earth. If anyone found out about us, we would be, how should I say it?  _Put out of business._  Reason being said, they would hunt us, track us, anyway they could get their filthy hands on us, they'd kill us and take our powers. And we don't want that, now do we? No, I think not." She shift uneasily from one foot to the other. "Our power is unimaginable. I, for one, have a special power. I raise the dead. You could say I'm a Necromancer, but I hold much more magic than a normal one."

Clary couldn't help but stare. Never, in all of her life, had she seen an Alchemist. Or a Necromancer, for that matter. Someone who could raise the damn dead. Who would've thought it?

"And seeing as how, yours truly, is extra special with her ability to make the dead  _undead_ , I have to lay super low. For obvious reasons. Witches, Demons, Warlocks, Shadowhunters, Werewolves, even other Alchemists would want to get ahold of me just for the said ability. Vampire wouldn't care about my ability, because, well, they're  _vampires_. They're the living dead. So what use would it do? I couldn't turn them back to human, that's for sure. I don't have that much Magic in me. I'd have to be God to do that." 

Tristan finished and looked into the eyes of every Shadowhunter in the room. They're eyes a mixture of gold, green, and blue. She took a deep breath and let it out as a loud sigh.

"Okay, well. That settles it then. Everyone can move on now? Live happy lives?" Her voice sounded cheerful, but Tristan's face twisted with uncertainty. Clary saw it and almost gasped as the resemblance between Jace and the Alchemist. 

"I'll...give you all a moment." Tristan hurried out of the room without another word.

Clary stared after her with wide eyes. The room had gone completely quiet, even the loud and busy sounds of New York were silent outside the window. Jace was the first to move. He ran his tan hand through his hair, sighing. 

"Well. I didn't expect any of that." He turned his head toward his brother. "Did you?" When Alec shook his head, Jace turned towards Clary halfway and smiled. The kind of smile that would make every girl in his path drop dead. Of everything that happened within two hours, how could he even smile? Clary didn't know, but she smiled back. They both turned toward Isabelle, who stood up slowly, with Alec's arms around her for support. She shook her legs and arms out.

"So.... Did I really die?" Isabelle's voice was drawn out, like she was drunk.

"'Fraid so, sugar." Jace replied. He was back to his normal, sarcastic self again.  _Bad things must come with good intentions._  Thought Clary.

Isabelle looked stunned, then sad. "Is Simon alright?"

"Yes, your vampire love is very much alright. But the aroma of your blood made him cry home." Jace smirked wickedly.

Clary, on impulse, smacked him across his chest. He flinched as rubbed where she smacked. Isabelle, on the otherhand, shrugged and slumped against the headboard of her bed. She looked exaugsted. 

"Isabelle. Do you want Jace and I to leave you and Alec to talk alone for a while?" Clary's soft voice echoed through the room. Isabelle just nodded once.

Clary took hold of Jace's wrist and yanked him through the bedroom door, with more strength than she usually possessed.  _Hm. She must be working out and training. Hot._  Jace's thoughts and fantasies played through his head.  _Clary working out, sweating, on his body-building equipment. Her flaming red hair stuck to her neck and face, as the tendons in her body constricted with the weight she was pushing and pulling. The hot sweat on her forehead and chest glistened in the floresent lights in the room. The muscles in her biceps and forearms moved as she pulled one last good time before she let the weights fall. She then placed wet towel on her face and chest._

"Jace! Come on." Clary's voice snapped him out of his reverie. Her big green eyes stared at him in confusion. "What were you thinking about?" She asked.

"Um." Jace's voice had croaked against his will. Clary raised an eyebrow. "Nothing. Just glad Isabelle is back." He finished hasily. 

Clary just grunted and walked toward the Institute's kitchen, not bothering to see if Jace followed. But she called over her shoulder, "Coming?" He set off to catch up with her.

As soon as they entered the white tiled room, they froze. Tristan was leaning against the kitchen counter as she ate a red apple. She was gazing, obviously very interested, upon the pictures on the refridgerator. Which were of Jace, Alec, Isabelle, and, heartbreakingly, Max.

"Who's this kid? I don't see him running around?" Tristan asked suddenly. Of course she knew they were there.

"That  _kid_ ," Jace started with acid in his voice. "Is my dead little brother." He crossed his arms tightly over his chest.

Tristan paused for a moment, then her eyes dropped a little. She genuinly looked sad for him. "I lost practically all of my family. My uncle and I," She turned around and sat on a lone stool, facing them. "He's all that I've got left."

"Well. I don't have anything. So don't feel so left out." Jace rid his voice of acid, but still a hint of hatred in it.

"Yeah. But you have an adoptive family that loves you more than my uncle ever will." Tristan lifted her uniquly colored, but sad, eyes to meet Jace's golden ones. 

"How," Jace started, compeltely shocked. "in the name of the Angel, did you know that I was adopted?" He stared at her as if she had stripped naked and her skin was zebra printed. Clary's eyes darted between both of them.

"Like I said, I know a lot of things, Shadowhunter. I do my homework." She winked at them both and smiled weakly. Tristan bit down on her apple before she said, "I have to eat after something like what I just did happens. Always."

Setting down the apple, she positioned herself very straight. Professional-like. "By the way. There's something else. There's another reason why I'm here." Both Clary and Jace tensed, even Tristan. Ear-piercing silence boomed throughout the room.

"Well?" Jace's irritated melted the quiet.

"I really don't know how to say it, but..." Tristan looked uneasy, then directly at Jace, who paused and stared back. "You and I, Jace Herondale, are related. Cousins, as a matter of fact." 

Her bluntness threw Clary into wipelash.  She choked on her own spit.  _So,_  She thought to herself. _Jace has a cousin. And to think I thought I was his sister. The irony of it all._

The absolute horror and shock slammed onto Jace's face. His yellow eyes as wide as saucers. "W-What the hell are you talking about?" His fists were clenched at his sides, his knuckled turning white as snow. "All my family is dead. How could I have a cousin?"

"Valentine," The word sent the three of them into utter shocked silence for a few seconds. "He's the one that kept one little-big secret from you." Tristan's voice had lowered a few octaves. "Stephen Herondale had a brother. My father. His name is William Herondale. He's named after his ancestor. Ask Magnus Bane. I'm sure  _he_  knows him very well, I'd imagine." A smile quirked at the corner of her lips.

 _All this time..._  Jace thought.  _I could've been with my actual family._

"Wait. How do I know you're not lying?" He narrowed his eyes disdainfully at his so-called cousin. Who then, held up her pointer finger, as if to say,  _give me a moment._  She reached in the back pocked of her jeans and withdrew piece of paper. She placed it on the counter and slid it across the tile. Jace paused before walking slowly the couple of steps it took. He sat in the sat opposite side of Tristan, Clary on his other side. He looked down and nearly threw up.

On the piece of paper, which was actually a picture, was of three people. The one in the middle, was of Tristan as a young girl. He could tell, she still had the same color hair, and eyes. On the right side of her, was of a tall man, who looked much like Tristan, but the contors of his face are more angular. He had mud-brown hair, and blue eyes. His glasses were shaped like two sideways ovals, pressed on the bridge of his nose. The man on the left of Tristan, was of Jace's father. He looked the same as he'd last seen him, which was also in a picture. His golden blond hair was slicked back slightly, as his blue eyes brightened up the whole picture. All three of them had big beautiful smiles plastered on their faces. Their arms wound around each other. Like a happy family that once was. 

Tristan's, now sad, voice rang through the silence once again. "Do you see now? Do you believe me? Why would I lie about something like this? It gives me no pleasure, only pain, because I think about Stephen each and every day. He was like a second father to me." Her voice shook at the last sentence. Clary saw that tears formed around her eyes, making the whites a light pink color. "Valentine took everyone that we loved, including my mother, and  _enjoyed_  it. I had to changed my name after that. Lockfeather is just an alias."

Without realizing it, Jace saw that a drop of water had appeared on the picture, right on top of Stephen's face. He hadn't known he was crying until then, so he hasily wiped his eyes and pushed the picture back to Tristan.

"I..." He started, but his voice betrayed him and choked. And, without warning, Tristan slid her hand across the counter and laid it gently upon his forearm. 

"I understand how it is. I really do. The only reason we haven't gotten in contact with you before this is because of Valentine." She had said it without a problem then. And he didn't even care enough to flinch at the sound of it. "He made my father promise to not to connect with you, or he would've killed us. For what reason? I guess you could come up with a few."

They all three sat there in utter silence. 

After a few long moments, Tristan drew in a long, deep breath before saying, "I need to go."

Jace huffed and smirked. "Why did you dump all of this on me now and then get up and leave? It seems selfish." 

With a snort, she shrugged. "If I were you, I'd feel better knowing you have at least two relatives still around that are actually  _related_  to you."

"Yeah, I do. But how do I get in contact with you?" Jace's frantic words were silenced when Tristan gave him the picture back, and flipped it over. There were two phone numbers on the worn out piece.

"First ones for emergencies. Second one is for really bad emercengies." She chuckled. "You'd get my father if you call the second one. And you don't want that. After Stephen's death, he's been on a killing rampage ever since-" A high beeping sound threw her words into silence. She pulled out what looked like a pager, she read what scrolled across it, then quickly put it back in her pocket. Clary watched every moment she made, which screamed that she was just like Jace. "That's my que to leave."

"Wait! Will we ever see you, or my uncle?" Jace asked quickly. When Tristan nodded, he smiled.

Without seeing the movement, Tristan had stepped very quickly over to Jace and pulled him out of his chair into a bear hug. Jace froze. No one had ever really hugged him like this besides Clary, who looked like she was about to burst into happy tears at the sight.

Slowly, but tentivly, Jace wrapped his arms around his cousin's waist, returning her bear hug.  _It feels good to actually hug actual family._  He thought. Soon after he thought it, Tristan patted his back two good hard times and let him go. She leaned back on her heels and smiled a sad smile.

  Soon after that, Tristan stalked out of the kitchen. "Come on," she had said. After a few seconds of staring at each other, Jace and Clary followed. They all three strode down the hallway until they were inside the elevators. Once they stopped on the bottom floor, the door slid open and they spilled out into the rainy New York night. The city that never sleeps was unusually quiet.

The three paused to stare at each other. Tristan laughed suddenly. "Damn, I don't want to leave now. But I have to. Duty calls." She winked sarcastically at them both. "Tell Isabelle and Alec they're welcome, alright?" When both of them nodded, she stretched her tall frame as she groaned, wiping her eyes, which they didn't realize until then that they were glistening. "I hate mondays. Always cry on the days I work. Fuck my life."

Clary chuckled and Jace smirked. "It was nice to finally meet you, Tristan." Jace said softly. Tristan smiled at him brightly and nodded, indicating that she meant the same back to him. She patted Clary's shoulder, who smiled at her, and took off down the sideway, running at a brisk pace before turning down an alley, diappearing into the night.

Jace had looped his arm lazily around Clary's shoulders, and pulled her in tightly under his chin. She wrapped her arms around his waist.

After a few moments of standing like that, Clary finally looked up at him. "Well that was.. _very_  interesting." She smiled as Jace chuckled.

"Indeed," was all he said. He was still looking after where Tristan had vanished.

"I knew she looked like you. From when she first smiled. She has your exact smile." Clary leaned up and kissed him right on the lips. He returned the kiss by parted her lips with his tongue.

After a few minutes of tongue war, Jace pulled back and whispered into Clary's lips. "So. You like my smile?" He pulled back slowly to looked at her bewildered expression, which made him smile big and wide on his own account. She smiled back, but bit down the urge to shudder at the sight of her angel so happy, which in return made her even more happy.

"I love your smile. I love  _you_." Before he could say anything back. She kissed him quickly once more. But Jace held the kiss, putting all his passion and love and tenderness into that one kiss, telling her that he loved her too. They both wrapped they bodies around one another before tumbling back into the Institute, laughing and happy together. For once, they all could live the happily ever after they wanted. 

_For now._


End file.
